Betrayal Most Bitter
Dylan is torn apart in the worst way by two people he thought were his friends! Anyssa and Bryan were busy helping Sheila and Allen move into the recently completed guest house for them to live in in the interim before all four would move to Smythewood, Pennsylvania. The moving was progressing wonderfully. The four had discussed who would go and when. Because there were not just them, but Dylan, Alex and Audra moving there as well, they had to plan for the move. After a few hours, the house was furnished. While relaxing, Allen was talking on his cell to his aunt Victoria. "You're serious!" Allen smiled, "You and Dad moved in with Betty and her friends?" "Indeed, darling," Victoria smiled, "Megan and Jonathan had room enough for your dad and me. So, it's getting along well. It saves money, and with your dad living here, he wouldn't be alone. At least he'd be around people." "How is Dad dealing with everything?" Allen asked, a bit nervous. "Your dad is handling things well," Victoria reassured her nephew, "with him working and all, he should be all right. He and Betty casually date a lot. They go to openings, society functions, things like that." "That is so wonderful," Allen said, "I am glad that he is having fun again, have you heard anything from Catherine?" "She and Nicholas arrived in Hawaii just fine," Victoria said, "she said she will call you later in the week." "Sounds lovely," Allen said, "thanks, Aunt Victoria." "Don't you worry, darling," Victoria said, "things will be all right. You and Sheila will handle things well." "See ya, Aunt Victoria," Allen said. "See you, love," Victoria said. Sheila came up to Allen. "Is everything all right?" she asked worried. "No need to worry, sweetie," Allen said. "I was just talking to Aunt Victoria. She and Dad are doing just fine. They both moved in with Betty and her friends." "That is good news, indeed," Sheila said, "how's Catherine?" "She and Nick got to Hawaii just fine," Allen said, "she's going to call us later in the week. I think she is still very angry at Mother, and so am I." "Who can blame you for that?" Anyssa said, as she came in with some hot chocolate, it had been slightly cold at that point in time, "What your mother did was disgusting." Despite her years of living in Harpers Falls, and her gaining a slight New England accent, Anyssa was still considered to be that tough girl from Chicago's North Side. It showed when she prosecuted, to her husband's delight. "It was a dirty secret, kept so long," Allen said, "nobody knew. Not Dad, not me, not Sheila, especially not Catherine." "I think what she did was dishonest, and disreputable," Sheila said, "I am not happy with her either, but I can't begrudge her either." "I know, honey," Allen said, "that is what makes you the sweet person you are. I guess, I can't really forgive her and she IS my mother." "It was the same with my father," Sheila said, "remember all the trials he put me and Chris under while he was married to Molly? Now, both of them are gone, and mercifully forgotten. Why do you think I changed my surname to Harper?" "I never really knew that," Allen said. "You were that angry with him?" "For the longest time I was angry with him," Sheila admitted, "he cheated on my mom so mercilessly; and then he had the crust to marry several people; then he was being a bigamist, married to Barbara Ganfrey; Melinda Welch and then marrying that scum Molly. I don't think I could have even forgiven him for all he did to us. Eventually I will, though." "Speaking of Melinda," Bryan asked, "Where did she go?" "I think she had a meeting with Camilla Griswold," Anyssa said, "she had some legal issues to deal with." At the Griswold law office, Camilla was talking with Melinda. "You think I would have any kind of claim to Joe Wainwright's estate?" Melinda asked. "I don't know, but it's highly unlikely, though," Camilla said, "because there wasn't much, and most of it was eaten up in litigation when he was married to Molly. Much of the estate went to Sheila, his daughter, and Chris, his son." Melinda nodded, "Which is as it ought to have been," she said, "I think it's best, given what he did to them, and the pain that he put them through." "Maybe you can help me on something, though," Camilla said. "What with?" Melinda asked. "Molly's maiden name was Hendrix," Camilla said, "and her brother Ron and her niece, Cyndie are still here in town. Do you know if she hoarded money at all?" "Maybe I can answer that," Ron said as he walked in with Cyndie, "I have the answers you might need." "Well?" Camilla asked, "Has she hoarded any money?" "Yes, she did," Ron said, not feeling bad about betraying his dead sister, "Molly stole a great deal of money from someone before she moved to Harpers Falls. And that person lives in back in Point Clair, Illinois." "Point Clair?" Camilla asked. "Isn't that near Chicago?" "Yes," Melinda said, "The Saxtons came from there, remember?" "I see," Camilla said, "Do continue, Ron." "His name is Captain Frank Damico, the highest ranked officer on the Point Clair police," Cyndie said, "Dad and I did some google searching and found out that he had come into a large sum of money. Apparently taken from the Cushings!" "Wasn't the Cushings that wealthy family that Bill had married into?" Camilla asked. "Yes," Cyndie said, "their daughter, Megan, was Bill's wife before Molly killed her." "Maybe I should go to this Point Clair and discuss this with the Cushings?" Camilla said, sensing a mystery. "The only Cushings who are alive are Austin and Amy Cushing," Ron said, "and they live in the house that Austin grew up in." "Then that settles it," Camilla said, "I shall go to Chicago this day, and discuss this with the Cushings. I shall be back in a few days." With that, Camilla, thanks to the help of the Harper learjet, went to Chicago to figure this mystery out. As promised, a few days later, Camilla was back, and she was full of information. "Apparently, Captain Damico WAS aware of the money," Camilla said, to a shocked crowd, "he was exposed for being crooked and was arrested. He lost his job and his pension for what he did. Before she died, Molly had that money fenced back to Harpers Falls. But I checked everywhere in town, and I couldn't see where it went." "Maybe it was fenced back in Waltham," Dylan Harper said, as he and Alex came into the office, "I just received a call from my ex, Kip Laingsberg, and he and his spouse, Troy, were attacked. Troy died in the hospital, and the man who attacked them was tearing Kip's house apart trying to find that money." Just then the phone rang, and Camilla picked it up. She listened to the phone, and her eyes widened. "Dylan," she said, "I just found out the horrid news. Did you really know Kip?" Dylan looked nervous, not liking the direction this conversation was taking, "I thought I did," he said, "I forgave him for cheating on me. What is going on, Camilla?" "Well, what he just did, I don't think you can forgive him for," Camilla said gently, "because he just murdered his spouse, stole all that money they had, and whatever money that attacker was looking for, and skipped town with it!" Dylan was stunned, and then he slammed his hand against the wall in anger. "You're right, Camilla," he said in fury, "I can't forgive him for that! Who was the attacker?" "He was your former boss at the bookstore," Camilla said sadly, feeling really terrible for the pain Dylan was now having to confront. Dylan's eyes widened, "Michael Sanderson?!" he whispered. "I am afraid so," Camilla said, sadly. Dylan collapsed in Alex's arms. Ron, Melinda, Camilla and Cyndie helped him into a chair. "Dylan," Camilla said gently but with determination, "listen to me. I will have them BOTH arrested and you can confront them as you see fit. I won't let them get away with this." "How could they BOTH betray me like that?!" Dylan said. "Who knows why people do what they do," Ron said, "they are beyond contempt." "I think we should call his parents," Cyndie said. "My mom is across the way, at her office," Alex said, "I'll have her come over." Dylan's eyes burned, Kip, Michael, you don't know it, but you just made yourself one heck of an enemy, he thought, his eyes flashing, you will pay for betraying my friendship like that! (camera fades to black) Category:Episodes Category:Hall of Fame Episodes Category:Episodes featuring Dylan and Sheila